OVERNIGHT England sensation Jack Leach confessed that his father missed his incredible knock on Thursday due to the searing heat at Lord's, writes Alfie House.

Somerset star Leach, who averages 4.67 in the County Championship this season, reached 92 before eventually being caught at second slip, after opening the batting as night-watchman to see out the final over on Wednesday evening.

“He was going to come today, but he saw the weather forecast and said, ‘it’s too hot!'," Leach said.

“He doesn’t have Sky, so I gave him my house key and he went over, and he’s been watching at mine the whole time.”

Despite making it look as if he’d been opening innings his whole career, Leach admitted the heat - it was the hottest UK July day on record - made life difficult batting in glasses.

Leach said: “I was trying to come up with a way. I had the headband on but obviously in those conditions you need to keep cleaning them [glasses].

“I need to get a bit better at that, but I couldn’t actually see what happened happening, so I didn’t think I was going to be out there that long.”

Having fallen just eight runs short of a piece of cricket history in being the first English night-watchman to hit a century, and a place on the Lord’s honour board, the remarkable innings came to a bittersweet end.

“I know now that the nervous 90s are definitely a thing.” he confessed.

“You think ‘I’m only two shots away’ and I was having some weird thoughts. I was trying to tell myself not to think about it, which kind of made me think about it.

“I can’t believe it really. I just went out to try and do a job for the team I guess and try and soak up some balls. It probably went a little bit further than I thought it would.

"It wasn't to be, but I tried my best and that was all I could do."

Only six night-watchmen have made centuries in the history of the game, and Leach’s effort has drawn attention from big names in cricket.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeted: “Finally we have found a replacement for Alastair Cook… #Leach.”

Leach may well be needed with the ball today though, as Ireland look to chase a target of 182 on day three of the Test, after England posted 303 all out.

He will be looking to improve on his first innings figures, when he took 0-26 off three, but believes he can take his confidence with the bat into his bowling.

"I'm looking forward to bowling," he said.

"I didn't bowl well in the first innings. I felt nervous.

"It was the first time in front of a home crowd and a Lord's full house.

"I hold my hand up, I didn't get that right.

"But this innings has given me confidence and I'll take that confidence into my bowling.

"There's a bit of rough and the wicket's wearing so I feel like I'll have a part to play."

Leach has been supported during the Test by his clubmates at Taunton Deane CC, who are backing their favourite son to come good with the ball.